Changes of gut mucosa antioxidant system and liver, renal function in rats after intestinal ischemia - reperfusion injury

AIM: To investigate the changes of the gut mucosa antioxidant system and liver, renal functions during rat intestinal ischemia - reperfusion injury. METHODS: 30 male Wistar rats underwent 45 min of intestinal ischemia by clamping the superior mesenteric artery followed by reperfusion. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), the activities of antioxidant enzymes in the gut mucosa including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH -Px), glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity and serum ALT, AST, BUN, Cr were assayed at 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h after reperfusion. RESULTS: The levels of MDA and GSH in the gut mucosa increased and decreased significantly at 2 h of reperfusion, respectively (P0.05). MDA was still lower than sham at 24 h of reperfusion (P0.05), while GSH decreased to 40% of sham at 4 h of reperfusion (P0.01) but returned to the level of control at 12 h. The activities of CAT, SOD and GSH - Px did not show significant changes in rat after intestinal ischemia reperfusion. GST decreased 39% at 2 h of reperfusion compared with the sham group and decreased to 56% of sham at 4 h (P0.05), but returned to the level of control at 12 h after reperfusion. Serum ALT, AST, BUN and Cr increased significantly at 2 h of reperfusion (P0.05) and increased 208% , 100% , 103% , 41 % compared with control at 4 h of reperfusion (P0.01). However, at 24 h of reperfusion, they returned to normal. CONCLUSION: Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion diminishes GSH level and GST activity, increases MDA level and causes liver and renal reversible damages.